


The Butterfly Effect

by zukoslover



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, F/M, Force-bond, Gen, Mandalore, Mandalorian Plot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-29
Updated: 2016-07-11
Packaged: 2018-04-16 07:45:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4617126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zukoslover/pseuds/zukoslover
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Satine had asked Obi-Wan to stay, all those years ago on Mandalore? And what if he had said yes? What consequences would the change in the fate of one man have for the rest of the galaxy?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ripples of Fate  (First Encounter)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> butterfly effect  
> n  
> 1\. (General Physics) the idea, used in chaos theory, that a very small difference in the initial state of a physical system can make a significant difference to the state at some later time

They stepped off the ship to find a large blonde Mandalorian official, clearly of high rank, awaiting their arrival. Introducing himself as Prime Minister Almec of Mandalore, he expressed his gratitude at the Jedi's involvement, to which they responded with their well-versed humility. He lead them towards the palace entrance, engaging Qui-Gon in discussion regarding their mission as he did so, obviously trying to persuade them that there was nothing to investigate. Anakin could feel, despite his dignified and civil bearing, that he was not overly pleased by their presence. He seemed convinced that the system's violence had died out with the warriors on Mandalore's moon, Concordia, indeed insisting with great emphasis on the fact. Qui-Gon allowed him to speak without interruption, listening attentively, though he was undoubtedly forming his own opinions on the matter.

They entered a spacious hall with high, arched ceilings, made almost entirely of glittering blue cut-glass. It was clearly the throne room, as evidenced by the finely wrought chair raised on a dais in front of them, as well as the enormous portrait of an elegant and beautiful, if haughty looking, lady who could only be the Duchess of Mandalore. They were informed that the Duke and Duchess would be there shortly to greet them and then left alone in the vast, exquisite chamber. 

'The Duke?' He asked Qui-Gon curiously. His voice echoed around the silent cavernous hall. 'I wasn't aware this system had one.'

'An old friend,' replied Master Jinn softly. 'One I haven't seen in a very long time.' There was an indecipherable look of reminiscence on his face that Anakin had never seen before.

He turned around at the sound of footfalls as a man entered unaccompanied through an unseen side door. 

'Well, you are looking remarkably well, I must say, Master. And in possession of more grey hairs than ever it would seem,' he remarked in a posh, bordering on pretentious, Coruscanti accent, looking directly at Qui-Gon.  _Master? What the kri-_

'You haven't changed one bit.' Anakin threw a quizzical glance at his Master when he smiled broadly at the stranger. 'I thought Satine might have fixed your broken sense of humour by now, but clearly I was mistaken.'

There was was a pause, where Anakin worried that the man had taken offense at his Masters familiarity. Abruptly though, both men started laughing, crossing the distance between them in a few seconds to clasp each other by the shoulders. He could feel affection and pleased delight radiate off his Master in the Force and wondered who this stranger could be to make Qui-Gon feel so strongly. _And I've never even heard of him._

They were now conversing in low, intimate voices, interjected with the occasional chuckle and grip of the arm. Anakin shuffled his feet, feeling slightly awkward to be intruding on this reunion - why hadn't his Master mentioned he was close friends with someone who worked in the Mandalorian government? It would certainly make their task here easier. He looked up when he heard Qui-Gon say his name.

'My former Master's new Padawan?' The man was saying, raising a sculpted eyebrow at Qui-Gon. It was a look Anakin himself had never been able to perfect. 'This should be interesting.'

Anakin stepped forward as Qui-Gon gestured between the two of them.

'Obi-Wan Kenobi, meet Anakin Skywalker.'  _This is Kenobi?_

Anakin looked more closely at the man, intensely intrigued now. He had heard much about Obi-Wan Kenobi from Qui-Gon, his predecessor who had supposedly left the Jedi Order for love, though he had never named the woman nor explained the circumstances. He realised that the woman in question had to be none other than the Duchess Satine herself, which meant that the ex-Jedi must be the mysterious Duke. _From being a Jedi to royalty? A strange change of vocation._

The man - no, Obi-Wan Kenobi - was of average height, shorter than both of them, and had a compact yet muscular physique. A lock of ginger hair hung over intelligent eyes (the colour of which was not immediately apparent) that were clearly also in the process of assessing Anakin - but his face, lower half concealed by a short beard, gave no indication of whether his judgement was favourable.

Kenobi held out his hand.

'It's an honour to finally meet you, Anakin Skywalker.'

Anakin had secretly been anticipating meeting this man ever since he had first heard of him. It was not only due to his having once been his own Master's apprentice, although that was interesting enough, but the fact that he was a former Jedi who was now married made him doubly more so. He took the proffered hand eagerly, about to respond in kind - when a jolt went through him at the contact.

Kenobi's eyes widened fractionally and stared at him in surprise; Anakin knew that he had felt that same slight bodily shock. The Force suddenly seemed to slam into him, singing to him as Kenobi's Force- signature rushed into his senses. He gasped - It was washing over him, consuming him; so much so that he was unaware that he remained clutching at the others hand. It hardly seemed to matter that his Master was looking on curiously at their strange behaviour - the Force was too loud. Dimly, he heard Kenobi groan. His nails dug into Kenobi's palm as sounds and images and feelings, flashes of visions -  _of the past? The future?_ \- flit into his mind, one after the other cascading into each other like a holofilm on fast forward. 

_'Obi-Wan Kenobi, meet Anakin Skywalker.' Twin suns lit up as they smiled at each other._

_'You will be a Jedi, Anakin, I promise you.'_

_'Why do I get the feeling you're going to be the death of me?_

_'Don't say that Master... You're the closest thing I have to a father.'_

_'Sorry, Master. I forgot that you don't like flying.'_

_'I don't mind flying, but what you're doing is suicide.'_

_'This time we will do it together.'_

_'I was about to say that.'_

_'Your friendship means everything to me._

_'You are a wise and powerful Jedi, Anakin, and I am very proud of you.'_

_'Obi-Wan, may the Force be with you.'_

_'Goodbye, old friend. May the Force be with you.'_

_'Don’t make me kill you, Obi-Wan. If you are not with me, you are against me.'_

_'I have failed you, Anakin. I have failed you.'_

_'I hate you!'_

_'You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you.'_

He opened his eyes as his sight cleared, the red, smoky haze of the final image fading away. He was trembling violently; slowly, he raised a hand to his cheek and found it to be wet. Kenobi's expression mirrored his - his eyes were glittering with unshed tears and he wore a shell-shocked expression. He pulled his hand away from Anakin's as though it burned. 

Anakin staggered forward at the loss of the support it had been been giving him, and felt his knees give out. He fell heavily onto Kenobi's chest as the man reached out to catch him, bracing him by the forearms. Their faces were impossibly close; he found himself caught in the others gaze, unable to look away. Anakin was seeing him through the filter of the visions, with Kenobi so close bringing the images up into sharp focus - this face that dominated them all, this face that now seemed so very unbearably dear. 

It was only when Qui-Gon cleared his throat that Anakin jerked out of it, embarrassed, and hurriedly removed himself from the stranger's half-embrace. Kenobi, for his part, was still looking rather dazed.

'Would someone please tell me what in seven kriffing hells just happened?' Qui-Gon demanded. 'Why is my Padawan looking at you like he just found his long lost brother?'

Kenobi seemed to recover with rather remarkable alacrity at the question, as though answering Qui-Gon's demands was second nature.

'I..uh..I don't know anymore than you do, Master Qui-Gon. The moment we touched, it was as though the Force it - I don't know how else to say it - it sang. And I  _saw_...things.' He paused, hand coming up to stroke his beard. Anakin noticed he did not mention that he was the starring featurette in every single one of them, just as Kenobi was in his. 

'Visions?' His Master asked, frowning. 

'Not visions,' said Anakin in shocked awe. 'Memories.' He did not know why or how it was possible, but he felt the truth of the statement in his bones.

'I don't understand. Are you saying you - you know each other?' He looked disbelievingly at his Padawan.

'No, Master,' he replied, daring a glance at Kenobi, who was frowning in thought, hand still on his beard. 'I've never met him before.' But it felt like a lie somehow. Qui-Gon opened his mouth to question them further but Kenobi interrupted him rather hastily.

'I doubt standing here discussing it will do much good, or shed more light on the matter. Whatever it may have been, we know the Force will reveal itself in time. It always does.' 

Qui-Gon looked as though he were about to argue but something in Kenobi's face must have made him change his mind, for he nodded instead. 'The Force indeed works in mysterious ways, my old apprentice. But it always has a plan, and whatever it intends for the two of you, we must allow to unfold. In the meantime, you both ought to meditate on these  _visions -_ or whatever they are.'

'Yes, Master,' they both said in unison, which made Qui-Gon look bemused, and then chuckle. Kenobi did not appear to share the sentiment, looking concerned.

'Perhaps we should consult Master Yoda regarding these visions,' he mused.

'We're here for the mission,' Anakin said firmly. He found himself strangely reluctant to share his visions of Kenobi with anyone else - they felt too personal, somehow. He also feared that if the Council knew of this, they might decide this connection of his to Kenobi made him unsuitable for the mission and assign other Jedi to replace them. And he had absolutely no intention of leaving Mandalore until he had figured out whatever the hell it was that existed between them. 'We need to focus on it. And its the middle of the night right now on Coruscant - I doubt Master Yoda would appreciate the friendly call.'

'I suppose you're right,' agreed Qui-Gon predictably, for he too did not appreciate the Council's interference. 'Both of you seem to be fine now, so it's probably not urgent enough to bring to the Council's immediate attention. But we _will_ speak more on this later, Obi-Wan.' He gave Kenobi a look that brooked no argument, to which he responded by merely bowing his head in acquiescence.

'Of course, Qui-Gon. Now, if you'll follow me, I shall take you to the Duchess. There is much you must know pertaining to your mission.'

With that, he strode out, not sparing Anakin another glance. They quickly followed after him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Recognisable quotes taken from the Star Wars Prequel films.


	2. Points of View

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Horribly late, I know.

 

_Satine_

 

Satine rose to greet the Jedi as the entered the chamber, accompanied by Obi-Wan. 

'Master Jedi. I would say it is a pleasure, but sadly the circumstances of our meeting are less than ideal.' She did not smile, looking on gravely.

Qui-Gon bowed shallowly. 'Indeed, Duchess, but we must not allow it to mar our relations.' He smiled politely. 'It's lovely to see you again, my lady.'

'Is it really?' she asked, purposefully cold and forbidding. Obi-Wan gave her a warning look which she ignored. 'Forgive me for saying this Master Jinn, but I imagine that I am the last person you would wish to meet.' Jinn looked taken aback, as though he had not expected her to bring up the past.

'I assure you I do not blame you for Obi-Wan's decision,' he said tersely.

'Then why have you not come to see him all these years?' she demanded. 'Obi-Wan may say it is the Jedi way, but it strikes me as nothing more than hurt resentment on your part. You cannot forgive him for leaving you, for choosing m-'

'Satine, that is enough!' She fell silent, restraining herself from saying more. She did not look at her husband.

'Now, if you're quite done, the Jedi have some questions for us.'

'You mean, other than 'are you building a secret army for the Separatists'?' she asked him sarcastically. 'The mere idea is preposterous!'

'I know, but the Jedi are required to be impartial. They cannot simply take our word for it.' Qui-Gon cleared his throat.

'I believe you, Duchess, but the Senate will require proof to dissuade these claims, however preposterous.'

'You will find nothing. The people of Mandalore are as dedicated to peace as much as I myself am - I would trust each and every one of them with my very life,' she said, impassioned. The younger Jedi whom she did not recognise, spoke up for the first time.

'My lady, we do not come to cause strife among your people. But you must allow us to do our job. If there is truly nothing amiss to find, then you have nothing to worry about it.' He sounded confident, and sure of himself despite his youth.

She looked at him more closely now, interested. From his apparel and braid, it was clear that he was still a Jedi apprentice; he was also incredibly handsome. He did not seem to possess that humble, restrained manner that both Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan did, that she had thought was common to all Jedi, but rather burned with an animal vitality. He did not look the slightest bit daunted by her forbidding manner, and gazed levelly into her eyes.

'I see I am outmatched,' she said at last. 'Very well, come, I will show you around the city if you wish.'

Obi-Wan came up to her and took her hand. 'My dear, I'm afraid you will have to give them the tour on your own. I promised Almec I would deal with the issue regarding the security council, and it would not do to keep him waiting.' She sighed, but nodded, annoyance ebbing away slightly when he kissed her goodbye, rather more lengthily than the usual light brush of lips. He bowed to the Jedi and left. She gestured at them to follow after her and swept out of the room, idly wondering why the handsome young Jedi had seemed to watch their interaction so closely. 

***

_Kenobi_

 

The loud angry voices of several officers washed over him, but Kenobi didn't really hear any of them. He was preoccupied by troubling thoughts, all of which centred around the mysterious new Jedi. The boy's deep blue eyes smouldered in his mind's eye- not the eyes that had gazed at him in wonder and confusion as he clutched at his arms, but the rage filed eyes of a man burning with malice and hatred. Hatred that was directed at him.

He was wary of the boy. What they had both seen...they didn't seem like visions. He knew Jedi had them, premonitions of the future, or rather flashes of the future. But their shared vision, or whatever it was, it hadn't seemed like the future. It had seemed like a brief glimpse into different life. An alternate reality. And, from what he could gather, one in which he had remained a Jedi and had been the one to train Skywalker. It was a reality that both tempted and repulsed him. Why the Force had chosen to show them such a 'vision', or what it even meant was beyond his comprehension. The implications were rather disturbing nonetheless. 

Kenobi had long left the way of the Jedi; yet, he still trusted in the Force, trusted it to guide him. And it was clear that the Force had plans for both him and Skywalker - and from this moment on, it had willed their fates to be inevitably intertwined.

***

_Anakin_

 

Anakin slumped gratefully onto his bed, his weary sigh turning to a satisfied groan as he sunk into a luxurious feather mattress, silken sheets clinging to his exposed skin.  _So unlike the Temple._  As Kenobi's close friends, they had been offered guest bedrooms in the royal couple's personal wing of the palace. He felt a sting of envy at the former Jedi - maybe the beds in the Mandalorian palace were his true reason for leaving the Order.

The Duchess had been less imposing in real life but just as haughty. She had expressed much displeasure at the reason for their visit, yet appeared willing to be acquainted with them for her husband's sake. Anakin honestly couldn't decide if he liked her. It was difficult for him to believe Kenobi had left the Order and all he had ever loved for this woman. Not that she wasn't very beautiful, in a cold, pale sort of way, but she was after all only one woman. Being a Jedi- it meant more to Anakin than he could ever express, no matter how frustrating and challenging it could often be. He had left his mother, the one person in the galaxy whom he loved, for the sake of becoming Jedi. And to think someone had given it all up so easily.

He shook himself out of his musings. There was no point wondering about Kenobi's past actions, when they had more pressing concerns. Like the 'visions', which he had firmly kept out of his mind all day. Now, though, he allowed himself to ruminate and ponder on what he had seen and all that it meant. 

He fell asleep with Kenobi's face the last image in his mind, and he dreamt of kind, ever-changing blue-gray eyes.

 


End file.
